The Christian Life

A leading expert on John Calvin brings together the reformers most profound reflections on what it means to live a fully Christian life. The Christian Life includes excerpts from Calvins impressive theological writings and illuminating sermons as well as a selection of his stately prayers. Editor John H. Leith focuses on Calvins spirituality which arose out of the reformers conviction that theologys primary importance is to encourage piety to edify and to transform human life and society. Calvins writings have much to tell about the manner and style of Christian living. The writings gathered in The Christian Life draw upon Calvins own heartfelt commitment to the ideals of life in Christ and to the responsibility to the community he served as pastor preacher teacher and counselor. Here then is Calvins own pattern for the conduct of the fully Christian life which stresses that it is in Christian people living in Christian community and in society that we see most clearly the reality of faith. The Christian Life shares Calvins thinking on such essential questions as the nature of sin; the importance of self-denial and cross-bearing to the Christian life; maintaining the proper balance between the present life and the life to come; the role of grace; the concept of Christian freedom; the place of prayer; the centrality of community; ideas of the elect and predestination; and the deepest purposes of God for his people. He relates all issues to the fundamental question of piety and how Christians can best attune themselves to Gods unfolding plans in everyday life. This compact volume makes available to readers as never before some of the most accessible and rewarding writings of this foremost figure in the history of Christian thought. The selections in The Christian Life will introduce the reader to an influential form of Christian piety; but above all they provide a clue to how Christians today may live and cope with the problems of personal and public life in a highly pluralistic and secular culture in which the traditional guides and support for Christian living seem to have lost vitality and vigor.